Dats a Spicy Meat uh Ball!! (Italian Meatballs)

• ThePhoody

So, it has certainly been a weekend full of garlic and carbs. To round off this amazing Italian weekend, I bring you my homemade Italian meatballs. These are awesome on a sandwich, served with sauce over pasta, or by themselves. I bet you could even juggle them if you really wanted!

As usual, I urge you to get creative. Stuff them with cheese or olives. Use panko breadcrumbs for a unique texture. Try ground turkey or pork for a healthy version, or veal for a heartless version (just kidding, I don’t judge). Heck, try your hand at meat cubes or pyramids…the sky is the limit.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs ground meat (pictured is 2 lbs beef, and 1 lb sausage. My original recipe calls for 1lb each of beef, veal and sausage)
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 3 t. Italian seasoning
  • 8 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 bunch Italian parsley chopped
  • 1 cup Italian cheese blend (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano etc.)
  • 2-3 t. crushed red pepper
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pasta
  • Two jars of your favorite marinara (make your own if you are a purist…I find Classico brand is better than most and tastes home made when you tweak it up a bit)
Cooking instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix all but the last two ingredients into a bowl.
3. Mix well using your hands until completely blended…just dig right in.
4. Roll mixture into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Leave about 1 lb of the mixture behind for the sauce.
5. Place in oven and bake until well browned.
6. In a sauté pan, add remaining meatball mixture. Brown over medium-high heat chopping consistently so the meat is in small crumbles.
7. Add marinara sauce, and season as you wish.
8. Once meatballs have baked completely, remove them from the oven, and place into a deep casserole dish.
9. Ladle the sauce over the meatballs, and place in oven for 15-20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and spoon over the pasta of your choice…hopefully cooked…or not if that’s your thing…like I said, I don’t judge.
11. Serve with my breath bomb garlic bread for maximum kissability.
– The Phoody

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